Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Martino offers Vegas an act it can’t refuse

"I left the United States in 1953 for an extended tour of England," quipped the 75-year-old crooner of such favorites as "Spanish Eyes," "I Love You Because," "Painted, Tainted Rose," "Mary in the Morning," "Volare" and "Daddy's Little Girl."

He is scheduled to perform at the Suncoast Showroom tonight through Sunday.

Martino, speaking by phone from his native Philadelphia, recently reminisced about his storied life, one that includes crossing swords with not only the Mafia but with movie director Francis Ford Coppola and the late Frank Sinatra.

Martino lied about his age and joined the navy in 1943 when he was 15.

"It was just an adventure," Martino, who also has a home in Beverly Hills, Calif., recalled. "I kept seeing all these Army boys coming home on leave, and picturing myself in a uniform. It was just something I did. Only one commanding officer had any idea that I was underage, but I asked him not to say anything and he honored the request."

He said he spent most of the last year of his short-lived military career on the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima, where the famous monthlong D-Day battle took place from Feb. 19 until March 16, 1945.

Martino was a Navy signalman. He said after Iwo Jima was captured, he spent a lot of time operating a radio from the top of Mt. Suribachi, the island's highest point.

"I'd like to go back to Iwo for a visit, but I just haven't had the time," said Martino, who spends most of his time touring the world he's already booked for the first six months of 2004.

After his discharge in 1946 he and his father started a construction company. "I used to sing on the job," Martino said. "Dad usually placed me on the tops of roofs where nobody could hear me."

He began buying records of top performers of the day and honed his talent by singing along with the likes of Tony Martin, Perry Como and Frankie Laine.

Eventually, Martino performed in local clubs.

By 1950 he felt comfortable enough to try out for the popular "Talent Scout Show" starring Arthur Godfrey.

"It wasn't like 'American Idol' on TV today," Martino said. "You could win on Godfrey's show and be out of work for three years."

After winning, Martino went to New York City, where he roomed with two other Godfrey winners -- Guy Mitchell and Eddie Fisher.

"All three of us benefited from the show because at least we were known," he said.

Songwriter Bill Borreli heard Martino sing on the show and tracked him down.

"He came to New York looking for me," Martino said.

Borreli convinced Martino to record "Here in My Heart."

They couldn't find a major label to promote and sell the record, so the two men created their own company.

"We were the first to form an independent label," Martino said.

They took the record to WCAU in Philadelphia and persuaded a disc jockey to play it. The song became a local hit, and Capitol Records picked it up.

"They had turned the record down before, but then they recognized their mistake and signed me," Martino said.

The song was an international hit, the first No. 1 record charted in Great Britain, earning Martino a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Soon after that, his skyrocketing career took a nosedive.

"Some organized crime figures purchased my contract from my manager, Bill Borelli," Martino said. "Only it wasn't exactly purchased -- they asked that it be turned over. Money was not transacted in any way."

Martino says he fired his new managers, but they said he owed them $200,000, based on future earnings.

To avoid a confrontation, he moved to England.

"They ran me out of the country," Martino said.

Because of his hit record he already had a following in the British isles, and so he had a semblance of a career -- but nothing like he could have had.

"You know the old story, out of sight, out of mind," Martino said.

In 1953 he was invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. At the ball he was seated next to Winston Churchill. Martino and Churchill were the only two guests without female companions.

"The band started playing and the only two left at the table were Mr. Churchill and myself," Martino said. "He turned to me and said, 'Mr. Martino, I hope you're not going to ask me to dance.'

"What a sense of humor he had."

After seven years overseas, Martino decided it was time to return home.

"I contacted Angelo Bruno, the don of Philadelphia, and he negotiated with the New York crime family to have me come back to the United States," Martino said. "Angelo convinced them that it wasn't justified that I should pay $200,000."

Martino said Bruno didn't want anything in return for helping him come home.

"He just wanted justice done," Martino said. "Angelo got me working again over here. He called the owner of the 500 Club in Atlantic City and demanded that he put me to work."

Martino described Bruno as his personal Godfather.

"It was totally friendship, a situation where he protected me," Martino said. "He was my umbrella, making sure I was safe. He looked after me until he was assassinated in 1980."

Martino's first engagement upon his return was New Year's Eve 1959.

"Believe me, I was happy to get back," Martino said. "I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to continue in England. The money wasn't that great."

In 1962 his recording of "I Love You Because" hit No. 1, and it was followed by a string of hits.

Ten years later he appeared in "The Godfather," Coppola's classic film about mob life.

"It all started with a phone call from Phyllis McGuire. She said she had just read a script called 'The Godfather' and she thought I was perfect for the part of Johnny Fontane," Martino said.

Martino contacted co-producer, Al Ruddy, who hired him and then, a year later, chose Coppola to be the director.

"Coppola said he didn't want me in the movie," Martino said. "He thought I couldn't cut the mustard.

"I had to go over his head."

He says he contacted Russell Buffalino, then head of the New York crime family.

"The movie could not have been made on location in New York City if not for Russell Buffalino's approval," Martino said.

According to Martino, Buffalino made Coppola an offer he couldn't refuse.

"We convinced Coppola that I should stay in the movie," Martino said.

There was a lot of tension between the singer and the director.

"He ostracized me when I was on the set," Martino said.

If sparring with Coppola wasn't enough, Sinatra stepped into the ring.

"Sinatra didn't want me in the film because he thought the Johnny Fontane character was based upon him and that it was an invasion of his privacy," Martino said.

Martino said Sinatra got word to him that he would never perform in Vegas again if he appeared in the film.

Martino said it took Sam Giancana, another legendary mob figure, to set Sinatra straight.

"Giancana intervened and applied pressure to Frank to stay out of it," Martino said. "After that, he backed off and didn't fight me anymore.

"Frank and I were friends before that, then all of a sudden there was no need to be friendly anymore."

Martino said he learned a lesson about the film business.

"I learned it could get pretty rotten," he said. "And I learned that singing and motion picture making don't mix. I found out people in the motion picture business don't appreciate singers invading their domain."

When Martino was offered a role in "Godfather II," he passed.

"I turned it down cold, even though Coppola called me and apologized," Martino said. "I told him I wasn't interested in working with him."

Martino's 50-plus years in the music business has survived despite his confrontations with Sinatra, Coppola and members of The Mob.

"I'm a singer," he said. "I will always be a singer. No one is going to take that from me."

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